Anatomy in TMJ Training
Understanding the TMJ’s complex anatomy and its connection to the neck and headaches is essential to helping patients find relief. This course delves into the intricate structures that make up this joint, and explores how they can influence your patient’s experience of jaw movement, chewing, and head pain. The TMJ is one of the most complex joints in the body. It is a hinge joint with two bony parts. One part is located on the temple bone of the skull (which gives it its name – the temporomandibular joint). The other part comes from the lower jawbone, or mandible.
In addition to assessment, hands-on experience is integral to mastering various treatment modalities for TMJ disorders. Trainees may learn manual therapy techniques such as massage, mobilization, and stretching to alleviate muscle tension and improve joint mobility. Furthermore, they may receive training in the fabrication and adjustment of occlusal splints, a common conservative treatment option for TMJ dysfunction.
It is round and knob-like, and fits into a shallow hollowing on the temporal bone, called a fossa. The joint’s articular disc, a cushion made of soft malleable tissue, sits between these two bones and allows them to move forward and backward as you open and close your mouth. Any disruption of the articular disc can quickly lead to a TMJ disorder, which is why it’s so important for practitioners to understand this structure and how it interacts with the rest of the joint.
The Role of Anatomy in TMJ Training
The articular disc, the sphenomandibular ligament, and other tissues help stabilize and support the movements of the jaw, as well as provide protection from external forces that can cause damage. Other muscles and tendons are also involved, including the masseter muscle (which helps close the jaw), the lateral and medial pterygoid muscles, the geniohyoideus and mylohyoideus muscles, the stylomandibular ligament, and the trochlear nerve. These muscles, along with the cartilage that lines the TMJ, are highly adaptable to the demands of movement but can still be strained by overstretching or prolonged force contraction.
There are many different tmj training that can be used to stretch and strengthen these muscles. The most important thing is to remember not to clench your teeth and to use the exercises gently so as not to stress the joint. The most common TMJ exercises involve opening and closing the mouth while moving the jaw side to side. Your therapist may ask you to clench your teeth while performing these tests and will evaluate the strength of your jaw’s muscles.
Other TMJ tests include measuring how wide you can open your mouth, examining the inside of your mouth, and observing your chewing motions. Your therapist will also watch you while you relax your jaw and move it around to see how the joint moves, if it is misaligned, and if you have any notable wear and tear on your teeth.
They will also check your posture to see how you move your neck and jaw together, which can have a significant impact on your TMJ symptoms. Poor posture, like slouching or forward head posture, can put strain on both the TMJ and neck structures. This can result in muscle imbalances and compression of nerves, leading to a cycle of pain where TMJ symptoms exacerbate neck problems and vice versa. This can be extremely frustrating for your patients, as it will likely affect their quality of life.
